Court judgement regarding Dortmund star Moukoko's age

Stuart Telford

• 22 Feb 2023 18:40 GMT
• 3 min read

Various outlets in Germany have raised doubts about Borussia Dortmund and Germany star Youssoufa Moukoko's age.

Moukoko has burst onto the scene in Germany, becoming the Bundesliga's youngest ever player on turning 16, and his nation's greenest World Cup debutant aged just 18 in December.

Moukoko was reportedly born in the Cameroonian capital of Yaounde on 20 November 2004, before following his father to Hamburg at the age of 10 in 2014 - but this has been contested by some.

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Moukoko scored 51 goals in 32 games for Dortmund's under-19s before his breakthrough, adding fuel to the fire that he wasn't perhaps as young as was claimed.

A Frankfurt court have now made a ruling about the issue. Whilst they do not say that Moukoko is older than the official account, they have ruled that the media is allowed to raise the question.

'Legitimate reporting of suspicions'

"[German newspaper] Der Spiegel was and is allowed to express everything that concerns the suspicion of a possibly wrong age and origin." Dr Isabel Jahn, a spokeswoman for the district court explained. "This is legitimate reporting of suspicions."

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Moukoko's high profile and the evidence at hand make such reporting of suspicions permissible.

Moukoko and his representatives can appeal the court's decision to the Frankfurt Higher Regional Court.

Der Spiegel had previously claimed that Moukoko's date of birth could be four-and-a-half years earlier than the one he is registered with.

There have been counter-accusations of racism, with some pointing at the fact that Moukoko's style of play isn't so much about pace and power as it is technique and vision.

The left footer only recently reached his 5'10" height, and looked significantly smaller than his supposed peers at youth level.

Moukoko has six goals and four assists in 18 Bundesliga games for Dortmund this season and recently signed a new contract extending his stay at the club until June 2026.